Maureen Purcell*

Degrees

PhD, Social Ecology, UCI (expected 2021)
MA, Social Ecology, UCI (2019)
BA, Environmental Science, UCI (2012)

Research

Communication strategies and their effect on the adoption of environmental risk-minimizing behavior

Biography

Maureen is a PhD student in Social Ecology, a field of applied scientific research that tries to solve complex social and environmental problems by bringing together a combination of other scientific fields that reveal each different layer of a problem and it's impact. Specifically, she studies communication strategies and the way they do or do not affect certain behavior changes that could lower someone's vulnerability to climate change impacts.

When she's not studying science educators or other science podcasts and blogs, she can be found out on the trails or attempting to bake puff-pastry from scratch because the ""Great British Baking Show"" told her she could do it (she can't).

Why is science communication important to you?

Science is an amazing human endeavor! It is full of curiosity, successes, failures, failures that are accidental successes, and all of it helps us learn more about this world we live in. Everyone should be able to access what science has to offer. Big words, funny names, dense writing, and pricey journal paywalls often prevent the majority of people (even other scientists!) from being exposed to and understanding all the interesting things scientists are doing. It is so important to find creative ways to overcome these obstacles in science communication so scientific discoveries and theories can be something enjoyable to nerds, laypeople, intellectual explorers, and curious cats alike.

*Managing editor term

2020, 2021-2022

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